Last October seminar, laoshi introduced us to the chi circulation: breath in - circulate through front to bubbling well & breath out - circulate up through back.

Looking at the applications of the form then this fits perfectly with deflecting/taking in, rooting and give back (fa jin)

I intercept an incoming duifang, I sink and load my leg, I breath in, chi goes down to foot (not yet but hopefully this will come). Then breath out, spiral up, foot connects to hand, chi rises and fa jin.

In most applications I think this is a common pattern. On in breath one deflects on out breath one releases.

In the form that is not always so apparent. Take the very start of the form.
Feet together,
breath out and sink,
breath in spiral up
breath out sink
breath in raise arms
breath out sink elbows
breath in spiral up on left
breath out sink, turn to the diagonal and intercept.

Here the breathing seams to be the opposite. Also the out breath seems to indicate relax(not the right word but I hope you get my drift).

Can somebody please elaborate on this and explain how to interprate this contradiction (is it?)

You seem to have it right up to the point where you raise your arms.
The next movement is a shift of weight to the left leg. This is done on an in breath.
The next movement is a turning of the waist and a spiraling down on the left leg. This is an out breath. Then raising the right arm and the right leg and then sinking down onto the left leg and placing the right heel on the floor.This is all done on an in breath.
The final movement is a rolling onto the toe of the right foot and pushing out with the right palm on an out breath.
Also you might want to take a look at Wang Laoshi's book..it might be of some help.(photos 7-12)
Mark

The initial movement as far as I know is a matter of intent. if your intention is to develop 'fang song', which Laoshi has previously referred to as "dynamic relaxation", then the breathing and intention coming together to focus on sinking makes sense. This is because you are gathering your concentration, emotion and intent - clearing your mind of distraction - before leading your qi through intent and breathing for the remainder of whichever section of the form you are doing.

On the other hand you are performing at the beginning of the form the application of 'carry tiger to the mountain' which requires you to sink before uprooting the attacker/opposing force.

Furthermore, it is also one of the basic exercises in which you are stretching the the ligaments, tendons and vertebrae of the spine, nourishing it with fresh circulation of blood & oxygen and qi so when sinking you are (unconsciously if there is no intent, subconsciously if you lack focus) compressing the connectivity tissue of the spine (sinking - like compressing a spring) which when released relaxes the spine (and releases the stored energy of the spring) to a degree that should exceed that which you began with while simultaneously improving the circulation of blood etc in that area...Of course the whole body is connected and I'm not suggesting that you should feel the spine is isolated, as you are sinking into kidney 1/"bubbling well".

Incidentally, if you begin analysing particular channels and points found in acupuncture against those that we refer to you will find that they are at times dissimilar. this is because they were mapped for dissimilar purposes by dissimilar practitioners but that's not a problem. in any case some line up and others don't. K1 does and those on the conception and governing vessels that we refer to seem to as well.

Sorry for the convoluted answer....which may at a later point become a more refined response.
All the best.

"There is nothing that does not become easier through familiarity" (Santideva).

"We become what we do repeatedly. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit" (Aristotle).